Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair --Macbeth

A detailed Summary of Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair --Macbeth


The phrase, "fair is foul and foul is fair," is a recurring theme within Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, which occurs on many levels. This phrase introduces itself within the first act of the play during the first scene. The phrase then dwindles within the work, weaving its way into the storyline, and leaves its thematic web behind. The words, "Fair is foul and foul is fair" lets one understand the paradox from a sectional standpoint as well as the play in its entirety. They also help add color to the play to make an even better depiction of Macbeth.

As the witches met together in the first act of the play in the first scene, they observed Macbeth. After their meeting was over, the phrase is first introduced by a couplet, which also ends the scene. The three witches all hissed simultaneously, "Fair is foul and foul is fair/Hover through the fog and filthy air." (Act I scene i. line 10). These powerful words governed the events in the rest of the play. They were the words that brought Macbeth to power and also lead to his death.

When examining the play as a whole, the phrase "fair is foul and foul is fair" has a deep truth to it. An up-to-date phrase, used quite frequentl


The words "fair is foul" are also used by Macbeth when he first encounters the witches. The question of why he said the phrase can be answered by observing the events of Macbeth's previous day and by observing the sight before him. One explanation could be that the day was fair because he had defeated Macdonwald in a fierce battle against the Norweyans. His day was foul because of all of the trouble, the cost of lives, and pain and suffering that it had taken to defeat the enemy. Another explanation of the quote that Macbeth had made, "So foul and fair a day that I have not seen," could be that the appearance of the witches before him so utterly disgusted him, that he wanted to insult the sisters.

1. Dent, R. W. "Introduction." Los Angeles, 1996.

Two-thirds of the tragedy traces Macbeth's career after killing Duncan;



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Approximate Word count = 929
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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